Medical Marijuana Use and Impaired Driving Laws

There is much discussion about the coming legalisation of marijuana in Canada, expected in about a year.

Certainly some of that discussion involves levels of intoxication/impairment and driving.

THC is the active chemical in cannabis. The Canadian government is proposing limits of THC in blood levels similar to the concept of limits for blood alcohol content in current drinking and impaired driving laws.

Jonathan Zaid says that medical marijuana users may be unfairly treated under the proposed future laws. He is the executive director of Canadians for Fair Access to Medical Marijuana (CFAMM) is a federal non-profit organization medical cannabis patient rights group.

According to the CFAMM, there are currently some 170,000 Canadians who are legally authorised to possess and consume marijuana in order to cope with various medical conditions.

Zaid says he’s concerned that medical cannabis users may be unfairly caught up by any new law of marijuana impaired driving laws as being discussed in new legislation called Bill C-46.

Zaid said first of all, medical marijuana users have a different goal than recreational marijuana users. He says they use marijuana to treat symptoms, not to get high. In addition to intent, he says medical user’s tolerance and how effects are experienced differ from those of recreational users.